I managed to catch part of a news show discussing NHS in England. Several commented that they are working to figure out how they can cut down on the time that many must wait for surgeries. They said that the average is 12 - 18 months and if you go to the ER, the average wait is 12- 18 hours. When I told my English friend Clare what they said, she said "No way! I didn't have to wait that long". I told her that she apparently was one of the lucky ones but that I wouldn't want to count on the luck of the draw when my health is on the line.